A Pleasant Farewell
by Bullet Nick
Summary: After shutting down the supercomputer, our heroes face must begin to live normal lives again, but the memories of Lyoko are strong and hard to leave behind...until they find the right person to comfort them...all except for Aelita, who has disappeared...


**Code Lyoko: Season 4 – Episode 96 – A Pleasant Farewell**

**By: "Bullet" Nick**

**Remastered 2011 Version**

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, places, past plots, romances, names or anything else belongs to me. I only own the plot for this little episode. Everything else belongs to the original show.

**A Pleasant Farewell**

Jeremie woke up in his room. The sun was shining through the window on a warm spring morning. Jeremie slowly sat up on his bed. It was the first time in a long time that he woke up without the responsibility to save the world, without having to fight X.A.N.A. on Lyoko. He found himself thinking about it for a quite a few minutes, and he realized that it'd be some time before he got adjusted to having a normal life again. After all, he shut down the supercomputer only the day before. At least he'd be able to attend all his classes. He got up, and started to get ready to start a normal day.

Odd was already in the cafeteria, waiting for his friends to arrive, including the newest member of their group, Sissi. Though he'd usually stuff large amounts of food down his throat, today he didn't feel so hungry. In fact, he was still depressed. He still missed being a hero on Lyoko, fighting monsters, trying to defeat X.A.N.A., and most of all, feeling the sense of adventure that only the virtual world gave him. He was also trying to figure out what to do with his time. Since he couldn't go to Lyoko anymore, he'd have to find other ways to spend his time. At least he would have time to actually study for some of his tests. And the more he thought about this, the more his stomach complained.

Ulrich was on his way to the cafeteria, but he wasn't hungry. Just like Odd, he was depressed. He missed being a hero, having adventures and facing danger. Now he had nothing to look forward to. As he went down the stairs, he realized just how much time he spent fighting X.A.N.A., instead of enjoying his life. He felt as though he had nothing to enjoy…until he saw Yumi. She was about to meet up with Sissi in front of the cafeteria. When he saw Yumi, his mouth had suddenly turned to a smile, and he could feel his heart beating in his chest. He suddenly remembered that even though Lyoko was gone, he still had Yumi to cheer him up sometimes. And maybe they could end up doing what he had dreamed about…but he was still unsure of what Yumi thought of him, and he wasn't sure what to do with his feelings for her.

Sissi, however, was clearly in a good mood. The thought of finally being part of the group certainly cheered her up. She was genuinely happy, she dreamed of being with Ulrich and part of his group for a long time, though she wasn't sure if she could befriend Yumi. Nevertheless, she kept saying under her breath how she could finally spend some time alone with Ulrich, maybe now he could finally be her boyfriend. Yumi couldn't help but overhear, and as kept listening to her fantasies, she felt she heart squirming in jealousy and disgust and she imagined every word she pronounced.

She didn't want to listen to her dreams with Ulrich for one more second. She turned and faced Sissi and pointed out that Ulrich was not interested in her. As soon as the words left her tongue, however, she immediately regretted it, but it felt as though they had flown out of her mouth, without her control. They were not standing only a few feet away from Odd, and he feared that these two girls would start fighting again, but to his surprise, Sissi just stood there for a moment, before sitting down in front of Odd and admitting that maybe Yumi was right, with a face that could only mean defeat.

Odd put an expression of surprise and confusion. "Excuse me, but did you just admit that going after Ulrich is a waste of time?"

"Yes, it's pretty obvious that even after years of trying to make him notice me, I'll never be able to get his attention," Sissi admitted, her face clearly showing sadness and repressed rejection.

"Wow Sissi, I never thought you'd give up. It seemed like nothing would get you stop trying to make Ulrich your boyfriend," Yumi pointed out in surprise. It wasn't like Sissi to give up on something she had wanted for so long. Things certainly were changing…

"I know, and I still like him, but even I can take a hint," Sissi said. "I thought that maybe Ulrich couldn't admit that he liked me…but I'm pretty sure he just doesn't like me. What do you think?"

"Well, I think that your brain has finally woken up from hibernation!", Odd joked and snickered, ignoring the fact that Sissi was in fact hurt by his comment. She quickly stood up without saying a word and left off to get her breakfast. For a moment, he thought if he had been a bit too harsh with her, but he just shrugged it off.

"Odd, she's now our friend now, remember? We'll have to be nice to her," Yumi pointed out to him Odd, who didn't really seem to be paying attention. She knew that this would take some getting used to, but it was a change for the better.

"I guess that means things are going to change around here," Ulrich commented, as he appeared out of nowhere and sat down on the table with his breakfast, accompanied by Jeremie.

"You can say that again," Yumi added. "I'll think it'll be a while before we get used to this. But as least she'll stop bothering us. After she left Herb and Nicholas, we're the only friends she has. Let's hope she realizes what that means."

"I hope she will. Because if she isn't friendly, then she won't have any friends left," Jeremie interjected.

"Well, in that case, we'll just have to see how we get along," Sissi's voice suddenly chimed in, surprising the rest as she seated herself on the table, next to Jeremie. "By the way, where's Mrs. Einstein? Isn't she usually with you all the time?"

"Her name is Aelita, and we'd appreciate it if you called her by her name," Yumi corrected her, hoping she'd fix that habit.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Aelita all day," Jeremie thought out loud with worry, and started looking around to see if he could spot her. "Has anyone seen Aelita today? I didn't even get to say good morning to her."

"No, haven't seen her anywhere," Ulrich answered. He lowered his voice and quietly asked Jeremie, "Do you think that she's still depressed because she lost her father?"

"What do you think, Ulrich? Of course she is. I'd better go look for her.", Jeremie resolved as he stood up, leaving his breakfast behind

"Can I have your breakfast?" Odd asked as he eyed his toasts and croissants.

"Yes Odd, I'm not feeling very hungry," Jeremie reply as he headed back outside, noticing the wind had picked up, making the morning air even cooler.

"Sweet!" Odd exclaimed, and then bean to stuff two breakfasts in his mouth, with newfound hunger. While this was nothing special to Yumi and Ulrich, which happened to be bashfully looking at each other, Sissi stared with awe and slight disgust at Odd's eating habits.

"Ugh, you're disgusting, you know that?", Sissi screamed at Odd, leaving the table in a hurry to get away from the revolting sight, but leaving her tray with her breakfast behind, only to be devoured by Odd, delighted at the thought of having a triple breakfast.

* * *

Jeremie went up the stairs, and knocked on Aelita's door. After waiting for a minute and no reply came, he softly opened the door, but Aelita was nowhere to be seen. He wondered where Aelita could be, he wanted to look for her, but he had chemistry with Ms. Hertz in a few minutes, so he decided to leave the extensive search for later. He tried to forget about it and not to worry, but his anxiety only increased when he saw that she wasn't in the classroom either. During the entire class his mind was distracted, wondering and thinking where Aelita could be, and most importantly, why she had disappeared so suddenly. Since he didn't have classes that afternoon, he decided to look for her after lunch.

Meanwhile, Ulrich's head was also distracted, his thoughts focusing on the virtual world. He kept thinking that he would never see Lyoko, the supercomputer, the scanners or any of that again. He realized that all his adventures, being a hero, the adrenaline and the danger that only Lyoko could give him were now gone. And the more he thought about it, the more depressed he felt. He knew from the very start, years ago, that one day the supercomputer would eventually be shut down. It was their purpose as the Lyoko Warriors all along, but he never really thought about what to do after that. Just like that, Lyoko was gone, and with it, a part of his life. He could felt a small void inside him, and he wondered what on Earth could ever feel that adrenaline, that excitement, that rush…

The classes came and went as thought they were breezes for Ulrich, hours wasted remembering the battles as the nostalgia began to sink in. He couldn't focus on anything, and he kept asking himself why this seemed so important to him. The adventure was over, their purpose complete. And yet, he felt as though something was yet to be done, something more that he was supposed to do. When lunchtime finally arrived, he slowly walked towards the cafeteria, his gaze fixed on the ground beneath his feet, contrary to Odd, who was excited about having spaghetti and meatballs again. Ulrich felt as though he needed to talk to someone about it, someone who could understand him...but who? Ulrich was never the talking type, and he didn't have many friends. He didn't know how to open up to someone and reveal what was bothering him inside.

Odd noticed that his friend was troubled. A second look at him revealed his depression, clear as water in his solemn face. Despite his outer cheerfulness and appetite, Odd understood the pain Ulrich was going through. They would miss the fun of fighting monsters, being heroes and their missions to save the world…but Odd knew that he had to move on. But Ulrich seemed lost in his memories; Odd knew he needed some help.

"Hey, Ulrich," Odd turned to Ulrich just before stepping inside the cafeteria. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked with concern.

"Huh?" Ulrich muttered as he snapped out of his thoughts. He knew he had to stop thinking about Lyoko, but he had a hard time finding something else to focus on.

"Are you okay? You look as if someone died," Odd half-joked without smiling. When Ulrich remained silent and turned his gaze away, Odd knew he'd have to push him a bit. "It's because of Lyoko, isn't it? It's alright, Ulrich. I'm sure I'm gonna miss Lyoko too. I had a lot of fun, but I think that it's time we move on with our lives," Odd reasoned, knowing very well that it wouldn't be easy to just forget about it and move onto something new

"I don't feel like talking, Odd," Ulrich hastily replied. He paused for a moment, and noticed that Odd hadn't moved, as if he was waiting for something to happen. Ulrich bit his lip and turned away. "It's just that…we had Lyoko for so long…I just don't know what to do now."

"It's okay, Ulrich, I understand. You should talk to someone; it'll help you get through this. Someone like Yumi," Odd finished with a tiny smile, knowing that Ulrich understood what he meant.

Ulrich was about to open his mouth to protest, but noticed that Odd was already inside and picking up his lunch, and he lacked the will to go inside and argue with him. Instead, he leaned against the cafeteria wall, and wondered if Odd was right. Talking to Yumi…that thought always made him feel strange inside. On the one hand, he felt so nervous and unsure whenever he looked at her, and wanted to avoid all that…and at the same time, that was all he wanted, to be able to just tell her what he felt. Sometimes, he felt as though she was the only one who understood him, who knew how hard some battles could be. And a few times, he even thought that she felt the same way towards him, that it was more than just a friendship. But every time he tried, there was always Sissi, William or Lyoko to stop him…but he had waited long enough. He had nothing to lose by talking to her, right?

* * *

Odd was lying on his bed, his mind tired and bored after a lengthy biology class. It had been two endless hours of someone lecturing in a monotone voice. He thought that once they would defeat X.A.N.A., he'd have a lot more time to study, but he found it impossible to concentrate and understand all of it. He noticed that Kiwi was calmly sleeping on his bed, looking as peaceful as ever. He was about to choose from his selection of CD's to waste the next half hour when he heard a knock on the door, only to find Sissi standing on the other side.

"Hello, Odd," she spoke in a tone that failed to disguise her anger towards Odd. "Is Ulrich here? I'd like to speak to him," Sissi asked, knowing that if she would be friends with Ulrich and Yumi, then they needed to have a talk.

"No, he went to look for Yumi, and I don't know when he'll be back," he replied, not without feeling a bit guilty hearing her voice and realizing that he had hurt his feelings. He didn't use to care so much for it, but now it was different.

"All right, then. See you later," She knew she would, as she was part of the gang now. She was about to turn to leave, but she noticed that Odd was still at the door and looking at her. "Anything else, Odd?" she asked impatiently, wondering if he was just thinking about another joke to crack.

"Sissi…I'm sorry about that joke. It was…rude of me," Odd admitted, wondering why he was feeling so guilty this time, and hoping that at least the apology would fix that. After all, he really was sorry, Sissi was part of the group, and he was the one who insisted on bringing her in, and he knew that sometimes he crossed the line between being funny and being rude.

"You're apologizing to me?" She certainly wasn't expected this. Most of the time, she thought Odd was a bit of a jerk who always made fun of her and didn't care at all how she would feel. But now, it was different. He considered her his friend, or at least he was willing to try. It was weird to see him in this light…but it was a change for the better.

"Yes, I am. I'm sorry, Sissi. You're our friend now, and…I think we should start getting along," Odd added, hoping that Sissi would accept the apology and try to leave the past behind.

"Thank you, Odd. I'm glad we can get along," Sissi replied with a smile, reassuring Odd that she wasn't too mad at him.

"Well…thanks, Sissi. But I'm curious, why are you suddenly giving up on Ulrich?" Odd asked. He didn't mean to stick his nose into it, but he just wanted to understand.

"It's a long story, Odd," Sissi sighed, trying to avoid sharing his thoughts with him.

"It's okay, but I got time, and I can be a great listener…sometimes,", Odd insisted with a sheepish smile, hoping that Sissi would give in.

Sissi thought for a few seconds, before she resolved that sooner or later she'd have to explain it to everyone. And maybe Odd would be able to help her get over Ulrich...she entered the room and sat on Ulrich's bed. "Could you please close the door, Odd?"

Odd closed the door, and feeling this was going to be a long and important conversation, Odd sat on his own bed and waited for Sissi to tell her story. Sissi remained silent for a few seconds before finally opening up. "I'm not a very smart person. I knew that I didn't have a bright brain, but then I realized that boys used to look at me, because I was pretty. So I thought boys liked pretty girls, and they would be fine with that. And then I saw Ulrich, and I thought he was the most handsome boy I had ever seen."

"I wanted Ulrich for so long, and I thought that I showed him how I looked, that would be enough for him to pay attention to me. I thought that if I tried hard enough, he'd eventually be my boyfriend. I thought that my looks would attract him and it'd be easy. But then came Yumi…and some time ago I realized that maybe there's something else that Ulrich wants that I can't give him, something that Yumi has. And now…I don't know what to do, because I know that I won't ever be Ulrich's girl." Odd listened to everything attentively, and when he was sure that she had finished, he finally spoke.

"Well, I never thought I'd see this day. I have to say, you're really aren't all that dumb as you sometimes seem to be if you can realize that Yumi has something that you can't give Ulrich. You know he's not interested in you, and Ulrich just wants to be with Yumi. I think you should move on, Sissi. If you want to be our friend, you have to accept that you can't have Ulrich as a boyfriend, only as a friend." Odd explained to a nearly brokenhearted Sissi, who listened to his advice, but still had her gaze fixed in the floor, almost reluctant to face the truth.

But when Sissi covered her face with her hands, and began to cry softly and lowly, as though she couldn't contain her pain any longer, Odd suddenly understood just how much it hurt her to give up on something she had spent so long trying to achieve. He wasn't expecting her to react like this. The image of a vulnerable, saddened Sissi certainly surprised him; he knew that she was in pain. He felt as though he should comfort her…but why? What was he feeling? Not guilt…but something else, something he didn't quite understand.

"There, there, Sissi. It'll be okay. Everything's gonna be okay. We're all here to try and help you," Odd said as he sat next to her, in an attempt to comfort her and calm her tears. After this, Sissi sobs calmed down, though tears were still coming down her eyes, but now she felt better, because now she knew she had friends to comfort her in tough times, and she was thankful that Odd was there to help her through her crisis.

All the while, Odd started to accept the fact that Lyoko was gone. He still missed the fun of destroying X.A.N.A.'s monsters and having wild rides on his Overboard, but he knew that he'd really like to have to time to develop his personal life, and he figured that maybe this was the best thing to do. There was no purpose to go to Lyoko anymore. This was the future. He figured he'd now have the time to do the things he wanted to do for so long. And besides, now he had a good friend to comfort, who also needed to move on. Odd was ready to start living his life.

* * *

Outside the school, Yumi was sitting on a warm bench, looking at the green hues of the forests, feeling the warm sun shining over her, as she remembered her adventures on Lyoko. She enjoyed her trip through her memories, all the adventures she had on Lyoko, from trying to materialize Aelita for the first time to bringing back William. She was still intrigued by the fact that she was the only one who really wanted to shut down the supercomputer after defeating X.A.N.A. once and for all. Maybe it was because she knew from the start that this adventure would have an end, and she never forgot that, that after Lyoko, she had to live her own life. She also began to think that now they wouldn't have to go back to Lyoko, maybe she could finally spend some time with Ulrich…

Her train of thoughts was disrupted when she heard her cell phone ringing. She looked at the caller ID; it was Jeremie. Wondering why he would call her, she picked up as she noticed that soon she'd have to return to classes.

"Hey, Jeremie. What's going on?"

"I'm calling to ask you if you've seen or heard about Aelita."

"No, I haven't, and I'm pretty sure Odd and Ulrich haven't either."

"I can't believe this. This is weird…"

"You haven't seen her yet?"

"I've been looking everywhere, but so far, nothing."

"Don't you think you should wait her to come back?"

"I'd much rather look for her myself. I'm in the forest right now, I'm going to the one place I haven't looked yet, and that's the Hermitage."

"The Hermitage? Why do you think she'd be there?"

"Before the deactivated the supercomputer, Aelita said she didn't want to shut Lyoko down because she still wanted to believe that we could rescue her father, and she didn't want to lose Lyoko, because it had been her home for so long."

"So you think she went to the Hermitage because it's the only thing that's left from her past?"

"Exactly, I'm going to check it out. Call me if you see her."

"Will do, Jeremie. I'll keep my eyes and ears open."

"By the way, have you seen William today?"

"No, I heard he had some sort of family emergency and had to leave the school."

"Alright, thanks Yumi. I'll try to be back before sundown."

"Okay. Goodbye, Jeremie."

"Goodbye."

While Yumi and Jeremie were talking, Ulrich was slowly coming out of the forest, still thinking about Lyoko and Odd's advice. To try to clear his head, he tried to take a walk in the forest, but it didn't calm his head at all, and it just still filled it with memories and nostalgia. He was heading back to the school; he wanted to spend time alone in his room, thinking he could figure things out on his own. But then he saw Yumi sitting only a few yards away from him, staring towards the forest, but she hadn't spotted him yet. He wondered how she could take all of this so well. From the moment they defeated X.A.N.A., she was adamant about shutting down Lyoko, unlike the rest of them. He didn't understand her, and he was never really sure about her feelings for him…if there were any to begin with.

"Hey, Ulrich," Yumi called to Ulrich, wondering how long he'd been standing there.

"Hey, Yumi," was the only thing he could think of to say, having so many doubts in his head. He started to approach her, and ended up sitting right by her side, but he couldn't look at her. It was so hard for him to just let himself look at her, trying to imagine what her true feelings were.

"What's going on, Ulrich? You look like you were going to die or something," Yumi commented, thought she wasn't joking at all.

"It's nothing, Yumi…" Ulrich tried to avoid the subject. He knew she was worried about him, and that she could help him, but would she understand him? She wanted to forget about Lyoko so quickly; she didn't know what he was feeling.

"Come on, Ulrich, I'm worried about you. Wanna talk about it?" Yumi insisted, knowing that getting Ulrich to talk was never easy. She understood what he felt, the need to hide what you were really feeling and be strong to everyone else.

"Thanks, Yumi, but I'm not sure if I can…" Ulrich knew that Yumi could get him to open up. When it came to her, he always had a soft spot in his heart that began to beat loudly in his chest. No matter how strong he tried to be, that particular corner could come out so easily of his chest and mouth, almost begging to be let out.

"You can trust me, Ulrich. What's bringing you down?" Yumi looked at Ulrich with her sweet eyes; gazing deeply at him…Ulrich hesitated for a moment. He knew he could trust her with anything, and they both been through the same, only they had different points of view. Most of all, he could share the whole truth with her, and they had been protecting one another for so long. And besides, deep down, he knew she cared for him, just like he did. There was no better person to talk to and confide in than Yumi.

"It's just that…I still miss Lyoko. I miss it a lot," Ulrich admitted, and with it, he felt his heart moving in his chest, knowing that he was opening up and making himself vulnerable.

"It's okay, Ulrich. I miss Lyoko too, we all do. But that's over now, we have to move on," Yumi reminded Ulrich, still looking sweetly at him. She wondered if she should put her hand on top of his, it was resting just a few inches away from her own…

"It may be over for you, but I still want to be on Lyoko. I wasn't ready to leave it just like that," Ulrich continued, the memories vivid, never to be relived again. "I miss being a hero. I miss fighting X.A.N.A. to save the world. I miss destroying monsters every day to protect everyone from danger. I even miss the danger we faced. I just miss all those feelings." He felt guilt in missing something that caused so many threats and dangers. He didn't know if she would understand his conflict, if she could accept the fact facing danger and being a hero was the life he had gotten used to.

But he was very much surprised when he felt something in his hand. He looked and noticed that Yumi has put her own hand over his. He wondered what would come next, especially as Yumi came a bit closer to him and looked at him in the eyes sweetly with a warm smile. Her face was so beautiful, he could look at her endlessly...but what did she think?

"I understand how you feel, Ulrich. I'm gonna miss Lyoko too, but you have to move on. We have to start a new life," Yumi said warmly, not angry or rejecting him, but rather trying to pull his out of his depression and trying to make him see the future ahead. "I know it won't be easy… but I'd be glad to help, Ulrich. I'd like to by your side," Yumi added sweetly, really meaning what she said. And then Ulrich's face became serious, as he couldn't avoid asking the most important question of all.

"Yumi…I need to know, right now. Are we just friends, or…do you want us to be something more?" he asked as he looked straight at her, showing her how much he wanted to be with her. She stared back, but her smile began to dissolve. Ulrich feared that maybe Yumi didn't really like him like he did, that maybe their friendship wasn't really as strong as he sometimes hoped it would be. And then he saw Yumi stand up, and took both his hands in hers, pulled him to his feet and looked at him in the eyes with a smile that made Ulrich's heart race inside him.

"Ulrich…I'd really us to be more than just friends. I care a lot about you, and I know you have feelings for me…I have them too. All our friends think we should be together, and they're right. I really want to be you, Ulrich, I really do," she let her heart out, and saw Ulrich's face suddenly light up as his eyes became bright and his mouth turned into a small but heart-felt smile.

He didn't expect that answer from her, that she would admit she had feelings as well and wanted to be with him. He squeezed Yumi's hands, feeling all these wonderful emotions bursting inside him. He stood there in slight disbelief of what was happening, wondering if it was all real. They knew they had feelings for each other, and now, they were both ready to become more than just friends. Ulrich was ready to start living life without Lyoko again, but with Yumi by his side this time.

* * *

Jeremie was walking through the forest, heading towards the Hermitage. It might've been easier to look for Aelita if he had asked his friends to come along, but this time, he had wanted to be alone. He didn't want his friends to know that in his desperation and paranoia to find Aelita, he checked the entire school upside down; he even searched the factory and the supercomputer. Fearing that Aelita might have gone to Lyoko because of the loss of her father, he searched all the rooms in the factory, the Lab, the Scanner Room, and even checked the computer logs to see if she had virtualized herself. Fortunately, she hadn't, but he nevertheless figured that Aelita might have done it, in a moment of unbearable grief. Therefore, the only place left for her to be was the Hermitage.

Jeremie was already standing in front of the Hermitage. He hesitated for a moment before going in. He could only imagine the sadness Aelita was suffering. After her father sacrificed himself so they could defeat X.A.N.A. once and for all, then finally shutting down Lyoko for good, Aelita had nothing but this place left from her heartbreaking past. Her life had only gotten worse from the day she lost her mother, and then she and her father left to escape the government. He sometimes wondered how she could bear the memories of the life she once lived. But it was after all, the only time of her life that she had any parents. And right now, he was going to tell her that even if it's hard to let go, she needed to start living her own life. Maybe he could even tell her that he really wanted to spend more time with her, to be together…

Jeremie snapped out of his thoughts and opened the gate. As he opened the front door, he looked once again at the broken furniture and the dusty floors of a house that had been long abandoned. "Aelita?" Jeremie called out, and his only response was the echo of the rooms. "Aelita?" he tried again, the echo only repeating his voice without an answer. He walked towards the stairs, thinking she might be in her old room, when he saw that Aelita was sitting in a couch next to her old library in what was once a living room.

But the sight of Aelita didn't reassure him; it just made him even more worried about het. She had obviously been crying, he could see the marks her tears had made across her face, and her eyes were still watery and ready to go. It broke Jeremie's heart to see her like this, so vulnerable, so fragile. But Jeremie had always thought what a strong and courageous girl she was, how she was always willing to take risks for the greater good, ever since he met her for the first time. That day seemed to be so far off in the past, almost like a million years ago.

But now it was different. He saw an Aelita that could no longer contain her sadness, whose tears had been bottled up for so long. Her sobbing broke his heart, her sadness made him sad as well. He couldn't bear to see her like this; he always wanted her to be happy. But then he realized something, when he was walking through the forest. He had been recalling the memories of all the years they spent together. All this time, Jeremie knew he liked Aelita. He was never strong enough to admit it to his friends, and he could barely admit it to himself, but he knew he had feelings for Aelita, sometimes he even thought he truly loved her. But he wondered why he never told Aelita her, he wanted her to know what his feelings were, but he realized that it was because he had been an idiot all this time.

Ever since knowing her, he had been working so hard and spent so many sleepless nights doing things for her. Materializing her, searching a cure for a virus, building the Skidbladnir, working new programs and codes…it was his way of telling her that he cared for her, but it wasn't enough. He always wanted to help her and her friends fight X.A.N.A. by working so hard, but he realized that it meant that most of the time, he didn't actually spend time with her. He did all those things for her and his friends, but in the process, he forgot to really work on his friendships. Most of the time, he just sat behind the computer and helped them fight X.A.N.A. because he couldn't bring himself to do otherwise, even when he wasn't attacking, because he didn't really know how to build strong relationships. While his dedication and stubbornness did help them in their battle against X.A.N.A., he realized that he didn't do a lot else, that he hadn't been living his life.

That's why he feared shutting down the supercomputer, because it could mean that he wouldn't longer have any friends anymore. He feared that because he didn't work on his friendships, he'd be left out, now that Lyoko was there to put them together, that he'd have no use to the rest anymore. He knew that that wasn't true, but the fear lingered. He needed to move on as well, as X.A.N.A. would no longer be there to force them together, and now Jeremie had to seriously start thinking about developing a strong connection with his friends. Especially with Aelita…

Aelita…what Jeremie cared most about in both worlds. But seeing her like this just reminded him of the times he was so rude and inconsiderate to her. He sometimes snapped back at her when she really didn't deserve it. And sometimes he'd worry too much, making things difficult and complicated for her, and a few times he was even obsessive and bossy. It hurt him to remember those moments where he could be so insensitive. He was a savant with computers, but when it came to relationships; his mind was clouded with doubts and worry. He felt the need to apologize to her for being so rude, and to thank her for always being there even on the worst moments.

Aelita was always so sweet and caring, yet determined and brave when they needed her. Jeremie had liked her ever since he met her one cloudy afternoon, when he first set foot on the factory, activated the supercomputer, and looked at her beautiful face. She wasn't just very pretty to Jeremie, but she had a good and honest heart. At first, Jeremie just worked on her materialization to help her come to the real world, and he didn't really know what would happen next, but he didn't care at the time. The program took him much longer that to complete than he expected, more than a year, but during that time, he had the chance to talk to her, explain the world to her, and eventually, develop a bond with her. And some days he felt as though she really cared for him as well, like the time he tried going to Lyoko to apologize for a small fight. He remembered the incident very well…just before returning to Earth, they shared a small but moment, with a simple touch of fingertips.

But all those memories were from long ago, and he realized that over time, Aelita and he shared less and less of those moments, like those little talks, those small moments in which both of them simply enjoyed the other's presence. As he searched his mind for an answer, he could only come to the conclusion that his focus on defeating X.A.N.A. and trying to help his friends got in the way of all that. He felt he needed to apologize for everything he had ever done to anger and frustrate Aelita. He snapped out of his thoughts and came back to reality, where Aelita was softly crying on a cold, forgotten corner of her past house.

"Aelita? What's wrong?" Jeremie spoke, breaking the silence of the house. Aelita jumped and turned to see Jeremie standing in the hallway. She had been so immersed in her sadness that she failed to notice him entering the room. He was walking towards the couch, slowly getting closer to her.

"I…I'm not sure. Jeremie. It just won't stop, I can't take the pain anymore…" Aelita couldn't finish and started to sob again. Hoping that it would comfort her, Jeremie sat next to her, but he was unsure of what to do next. But before he could think anything else, his hand had already put itself on her shoulder, almost as if it had a mind of its own.

Aelita was surprised by his gesture, but his hand felt so warm, so comforting…his hand seemed to relieve her a little bit. His touch meant so much to her, it meant the comfort of a friend who would always stand next to her, no matter what, and fought and sacrificed himself for her. And Aelita felt that she really didn't have anyone so close to her as Jeremie. He was always worried about her, she could always trust him, and deep down, she knew that he really liked her.

Ever since waking up in the supercomputer for the first time in ten years, the first thing she ever saw with her eyes, which had no memories, was sweet, caring Jeremie. A cute boy who didn't understand what was going on at the time, but nevertheless worried about her, and who tried to help her to become real. It took him a long time to find the way, but over time she had grown to really like him. And sometimes, when she was alone, she found herself thinking about him as more than a friend…at first, she didn't really understand what she was feeling and why, but she just knew she liked that feeling, and that she really liked sharing moments with him. And ever since he brought her to the real world, she understood more and more about her feelings, but they seemed to spend less and less time together and enjoy little moments.

When she was finally materialized for the first time, she felt so happy. Before they went back to the Supercomputer Room to try and shut the supercomputer down, she really thought she'd be able to live freely in the real world. She didn't have the courage to tell him that day, but one of the reasons she was so happy was because she could finally spend more time with him, be at his side in the real world. She was happy to finally be with him, even after finding out that shutting down the supercomputer meant her possible death. And then, after going out on a date with him that same night, she definitely knew that she felt something special for Jeremie, something powerful.

But because X.A.N.A. linked her with the supercomputer by extracting her memories, Jeremie forced himself to find a way to destroy that link. And even though he successed, X.A.N.A. escaped the supercomputer and Jeremie once again worked so hard and for so long to destroy X.A.N.A. once and for all, and then he finally did it. And all the while, they didn't have as many times together as they once used to. She figured that X.A.N.A. kept them so busy that they didn't have time to develop a relationship, at least the one she had hoped for.

But that wasn't the reason she was crying…her tears were because of her father. She would never see him again, and she needed to get away from everyone and everything else to mourn her loss, and this was the only place that felt like a home. Ever since she woke up and remembered that they had shut down the supercomputer and her father was gone, she just couldn't contain her sadness. She immediately ran off to the only place she could call her home, she didn't care about anything else in the world, everything else seemed like it didn't matter at all, and she didn't care for any of it. She didn't know what to do anymore; she had nothing to look forward to, now that Lyoko was shut down. It didn't have any purpose anymore, X.A.N.A. was gone and so was her father. Life seemed empty now.

Sometime during the afternoon, while sobbing to herself, she realized how lonely she felt. She didn't have a shoulder to cry on, and she didn't have Jeremie there to make her feel better. She knew that he'd be able to make her feel better, to help her get through this. But all that mattered was that he was here now. Even his presence made her feel better, but she thought that if they had just had more time before all this happened to spent time together, then maybe losing her father would be easier to cope with if Jeremie could've been there for her.

"It's going to be okay, Aelita," Jeremie assured her, trying to calm her as best as he thought he could. He didn't know what to say, he had never lost someone so close to him, but he was willing to at least try.

"I don't know, Jeremie. I never thought that this would happen," Aelita replied between sobs.

"I never thought that it would end this way, either," Jeremie admitted with sympathy. He wanted to hold her hand, or hug her, some gesture that would tell her that he wanted to help her and that he cared so much, that he didn't want her to suffer anymore.

"You just can't imagine how painful it is. Jeremie, I hadn't seen my father for so long, I waited for more than ten years, and I used to think that when it was over, I'd finally see him again. But now…" Aelita tried to mutter something else, but she couldn't as another wave of tears and sobs came from her heart, aching to be let out.

"I know, Aelita, I know…" Jeremie told her, hoping that at least she could sense his sorrow as well. Aelita, who was trying to hold back her tears, felt as though her chest would explode from the sorrows aching inside, and suddenly burst into even greater tears and put her arms around him and hugging him so tightly, wanting to feel comfort, reassurance, joy, and most of all…love. "Oh, Jeremie, why is this happening to me? Why do I have to suffer like this?" she asked as she held her strong grip on him, not really asking him, but nevertheless wanting to hear his sweet voice.

Jeremie still didn't know what to do, but seeing that Aelita needed comfort and company, he put his arms around her and pulled her even closer to him, wanting her to feel his heart beating inside, to hear in those beats his emotions. She had gone through so much pain, and even though he had grown up a lot over the years, deep inside she was still a girl who wished to see her father. And now, that dream of hers was shattered, a fantasy that never came true.

Aelita couldn't help but feel better in Jeremie's arms. She knew she could always find comfort in him and his arms; they were always ready to help her anytime she needed them. She needed to talk to someone, and there wasn't anyone better to talk to than Jeremie. He would understand, he would help her…when she calmed down and breathed some air; she began to pour out her heart.

"Jeremie, I can't understand why I had to suffer all this…ever since my mother disappeared, my life has always been unhappy, sometimes I felt empty, like I needed something that I never had. We had to move far away after that, and then we ended up being chased by government agents, and forced to go to Lyoko. Then X.A.N.A. attacked us, my father shut down the supercomputer, and then I lost all my memory…and I was dead for ten years…" After saying that last part, Aelita's heart sank even more. The thought of her of being completely forgotten, a dormant entity with no memory, sleeping in a supercomputer forsaken never to wake up again always made her heart quiver with uneasiness, and she had to stop talking before her heart broke once more.

She needed someone to hold, someone to be close to. And she was glad that Jeremie was the only one there to make her feel better and give her the company she desired so much. She wanted him more than anything else in the world, he could make her forget her misery, and he could make any happier than anything. She didn't just want him…she needed him. He was the only one who could ease her heart. "Jeremie…I need someone with me. Stay with me…I want you here, holding me…"

Jeremie began to wonder, and he could not avoid thinking that she really…had feelings for him, which was a blushing thought for him. His heart began to beat faster and faster as he let those thoughts take over him. As those thoughts began to fill his heart, he began to feel a spark of happiness light up inside him. He wanted to be with Aelita so much, it felt so good to be around her, but he remember what a stubborn jerk he could be sometimes. He made a promise to himself, right then and there, to be more kind and attentive to Aelita, and he was sure that if he tried, he would finally be able to create a strong relationship. He knew his feeling for her were stronger than ever.

"Aelita…"

"Yes, Jeremie?"

"Would you like to talk to me about it…spend some time together with me?"

Aelita looked up, and looked at him straight into his eyes, and knew very well what her answer was.

"I'd love to, Jeremie."

And with this, both of them smiled at each other, as they realized that this would be the new beginning of a beautiful relationship.

**The End**

**Author's notes:** For the one-year anniversary of this story, I decided to rewrite it all over again. While I did correct many mistakes here and there, as well as adding and removing some bits, the heart and core of the story is still the same. Comments are appreciated, and I hope you've enjoyed this story.


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